4 Everything feels good in the Fall

*music starts playing* 

Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;

Lengthen night shorten day;

For it was Autumn. The time where many people start to feel the cold in their hearts from things of the past, then put on coats and layers of clothes to cover the pain, because with time, it only gets worse. Colder, colder. Those people that hide, place their hopes in others to keep them warm and remind them of the Summer, until Summer one day comes. Because after it rains today the Sun will shine the next day, but for now let's fall together in darkness with the red, brown, and yellow leaves that lose color on the way, until we reincarnate with the next bright Sunny day.. in Paradise. 

"Pero por ahora, vamos a caernos juntos a la oscuridad, con las hojas rojas, marrones, e amarillas que pierden color en el camino" (this is the last sentence of the last paragraph in spanish) Hermes writes on around a sketch to give it the finishing touch…

Fall has been Hermes favorite time since he was young, even though the place he comes from is Tropical and the weather did not drastically change as much as it does where he resides now. 

 It's been 2 days since Hermes met Ashley. It is Sunday and is a gray cloudy day, the wind blew by and with it came the leaves of fall, each leaf weighted the burden that everyone carries on their shoulders.  

 ...

Soft rock is playing. 

Hermes is laying back on a couch on the corner of a small bar. He is smoking and had a bottle on the table. Two girls were around him.

"Your friend is amazing pa" T said to Hermes and he nodded and smiled.

On the other side of the room there was a small stage where a guy with a guitar was performing. He had a beautiful soothing voice and his lyrics perfectly synchronized with the fall. The Blues.

Everyone is dressed up and just sitting there appreciating Christian's Art. It made you feel like you were in another place, to hear it was like transcending to a different galaxy that was only for you and the music.

Music ends*

Everyone gets up and cheers. Christian bows and says thank you. 

He walks to the back towards Hermes and says "How did I do?" 

Hermes gets up and hands him a drink, "Haha soulful as always"

"Don't mess with me" Christian sits down and takes a sip from the drink. "It would be better if you were up there with me." 

"You're amazing" the girls hug him and give him a kiss on the cheek. 

"One day bro" Hermes smiles and they click cups and drink up. *un Brindis*(a toast)

…

(They're outside of the bar)

"You were amazing, Christian." a random person passing complements his music.

"Thank you so much, it really means a lot" Christian responds. 

They smile and turn to Hermes and say. "Wait aren't you that guy that saved that girl from the fire?" 

"maybe you have me confused" Hermes responds.

"No it definitely was you, look!" they show him the clip on their phone. "you're a hero. Can we take a picture with you guys."

"You got me haha, sure." Hermes said.

The group of people take a picture with both of them and a bigger crowd started forming around Christian.

"Are you sure you don't want to come bro?" Christian asks Hermes as he was about to get in his small party bus.

"There's something I got to take care of. Maybe next time." they dap each other.

"Haha that's what you always say." Christian responds.

Hermes laughs starts walking away with T next to him. "Hermes!" Hermes turns around it was Christian. "Never change, I know I can always count on you." Hermes smiles and waves. 

"So what you gotta take care of?" T asked.

Hermes looks at her while smiling. "Is something with my Art career ma. Sorry, I didn't tell you about it before." Hermes responds.

"I don't want to hear it, we were supposed to spend the day together." T said. 

Hermes stops and moves the hair on her face with his hands and kisses her on the forehead and says, "Taina, let's go home Ill get you food and we'll watch a movie. Okay?"

She blushed and said, "Okay."

They got into Hermes car and headed home. On the way they stopped for some chinese food.

.

.

.

Moaning noises*

"Si, esto tuyo papi" (window shot)

umm , Ahh.

SLAP* Smack sound.

"Ahhhh" 

Breathing hard

...

Hermes is laying next to T after their interaction. She looks at him and says. 

"Stay here." 

"Sorry baby girl, I gotta go." Hermes responds as he puts his clothes on. "I'll hit you up later. Muah" Gives her a kiss goodbye and heads out towards his car.

He wanted to go see Ashley since she never called him or anything. He gets in his car and headed to the forest he left Ashley at the last time he saw her. He played -Mantra by Earl S. On the Aux.

It took Hermes a while to find the forest. However, he reached his destination and parked in the same spot as last time. Without wasting time he gets out of the car and started making his way through the woods. He stopped at the same spot as last time to appreciate the landscape during the day time. The lighter tones of green are bright and outshining the brown of the tree trunks. It was in perfect sync with the wind and the gray clouds.

He finally gets to the spot where Ashley attacked him and thinks, *where is this girl at*

Since he did not see any signs of people being around he started yelling her name. 

"Ashley... are you here?... Where are you pretty eyes?.. ASHLEY" 

After 7 mins of looking for her, he sits on a rock and says, "agh, it's no use. Oh well, guess ill head back"

He got up and headed back go the car.

 "What the"...

There was a trap on the ground, it seemed like it was for an animal and his leg got caught in it. As he hung from a tree 3 people suddenly popped out of nowhere, with clothes similar to what Ashley was wearing.

"Who are you? and how do you know that name?" The one in the middle asked. "Huh?" Hermes looked at them while upside down. The one that spoke was a big bulky guy and had an attitude of thinking of himself as the best, this is what his appearance gives off at first glance. *He looks stuck up lets have some fun before I die of boredom* "im looking for Ashley, take me to her."

He got serious and looked down on Hermes as he walked towards him, "who do you think you are earthling, to make a demand of me, you're not in a position..." however the guy on his right interrupted him and said "is fine Hermes. My name is Bruce, do not mind Judas. Ashley was waiting for you. Follow me, ill guide you to her. But first let's get you down from there" (this is the same person that came out of the shadows in the last chapter)  

He had straight hair and a mysterious aura around him along with a crooked smile and sly eyes. Hermes doesn't know what to think about him at first glance. He goes along with him. 

"Thanks bruce, nice to meet you. Unlike that other guy."

"Why youu..."

Hermes stared him down and smirked, then said "Also I can get myself down" Hermes pulls out the knife he always carries and cuts the rope, but as he tries to land smooth, his leg gets stuck and he falls on his face. "HAHAHAHA, you sure are stupid." Judas said. 

Hermes quickly got up and wiped the dust and cleared his throat.  "I like you. What's your name?" As he put his hand out to Judas. He quickly smacked Hermes hand to the side and said "humph" as he walked and followed Bruce.

Hermes giggled and the last of the three giggled as well and said to Hermes, "Pay him no mind, he's just trying to be tough. I'm Josephino the III and he is my cousin Judas, we hope you can be of use to us like Ashley says." He had yellow hair and Hermes paid attention to those last words.

"I like your hair and your name is quite unique But i'll try to be of use." Hermes puts out his fist for a fist pound, joseph froze for a second and looked confused "what are you doing?" 

"haha Is a fist bump it's a way of greeting here on Earth, you guys are too funny I can't haha" Joseph gave him a fist pound back however he didn't know Hermes noticed when he wiped his fist off with his clothes afterwards. 

It took them about 8 minutes to reach their base. Hermes was just checking out the area.

Bruce said "we're here" it was a big metal circularly shaped broken ship, it took up a lot of space.

However, Hermes was more focused on the people around it. There were about 10 of them moving around with materials, they appeared to be fixing the ship in different sections. Hermes memorized the number.

As of now there were 14 people he knew off but he kept in mind that there could be many more... 

Everyone stopped what they were doing just to stare at him, 

"Hermes you're here" it was Ashley from just about outside a door from the ship. When he looked she waved at him. He smiled and walked towards her without looking at the people around acting like he does not care for them. 

"There you are cutie, I was waiting on your call." He stepped close to her and gives her a kiss on the cheek. The air started getting dense and everyone around clinched the tool on their hand and got serious. The crowd is murmuring "who dafuck he think he is" "filthy rat" 

"Haha, you're funny as always Hermes lets go inside" Ashley says as she grabs his arm and drags him inside. The three people that brought him followed.

Inside was another mysterious person laying against the wall with their arms crossed. The number of people became 15. 

.... 

 Ashley took Hermes inside a room, they sat together while the others waited outside. 

"I apologize for their rudeness, most of them don't like the idea of you being here. Because you're not supposed to. But in time they'll learn." 

"What do you mean? I didn't even notice. Haha. Anyway, are you ok?" 

"Yes I am, why do you ask ? " 

"Your eyes are telling me otherwise" He looks at her eyes closely, she starts blushing. Then he continued talking in a very serious voice. "they're also saying that i should kiss you right now" 

She smacks him. " why youu!!" and Hermes starts laughing. 

After a few seconds It calms down and Ashley asks him. "Did you decide if you're going to join us Hermes?" 

"umm... To be honest, I don't know yet. Even though it sounds exciting, I'm not really interested in just fighting if that's what it is. Is not enough to make me go just for the heck of fighting and get stronger. On the other hand, i do want to find out more about planet Europa, the mysteries and unexplored nature, well at least for me, also the animals, landscapes, food, all sound more than enough reason to go. Also, i've always wanted to go to outer space and find aliens you know, maybe paint the planets from afar. Enjoy the view. Adventure, it all sounds exciting." 

Ashley stays quiet for a second and just stares at Hermes talk. She was surprised at how passionate Hermes was. 

"I told you he wasn't cut out for this" somebody barges in from the door. "you're wasting your time with this commoner who cant even fight" It was Judas. "How is he even going to handle the trial" 

Hermes turns his head and says "huh" with a punk look on his face. 

Ashley responds. "is definitely a beautiful planet at least on the outside and with many ideas for your drawings I assure you. However, the only way to last in the Planet is through fighting. Unfortunately, it has become a corrupted place lately with people letting power go to their heads, we are human after all." She looks at Judas. "Judas, do you not trust my instincts? If he's here is for a reason. But I guess I'll just have to prove it then."

Bruce, Joseph and the mysterious one walked in and gathered around Ashley and Hermes.

Hermes is just looking around at everyone. Once they were settled around, Ashley asked Hermes a question. "Hermes, have you ever been scared to death before?"